First Day of Issue: 6th May 2010
Tartans of the Far North
4th Definitive Series
Third Issue
This is the third and final issue of the series of three depicting Tartans and Badges of Clans emanating from the northernmost parts of mainland Scotland. We are genuinely sorry if we have offended any inhabitants of the Far North should their families have been omitted from the series this time, but it is always possible that they could appear in a future issue. A venerable (95 years old) gentleman of the McGillivrays expressed his disappointment by signing his letter with the Clan Slogan “Dunmaglass” and the Clan War-cry “Loch Moidh”. We had to gently remind him that his ancestral lands were in Strathnairn, east of Inverness and so outwith the Far North!
In general the Gunns, Oliphants and Sinclairs all came from Caithness, historically a non-Gaelic speaking area. The Gunns are of Norwegian descent, the name “Gunni” meaning battle in Old Norse. The Oliphants, again of Norwgian stock, acquired a large part of Caithness and the castles of Old Wick and Berriedale through marriage into the Sutherland family. The Sinclair link with Caithness also originated in Norway but via the Norman Conquest and a subsequent marriage to the heiress of the Earl of Caithness. We continue to use the Coigach District Tartan for the new 30sg value.
| Supporting Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of issue | 6 May 2010 |
| Issuing Authority | Summer Isles Post Office |
| Research & Design | Summer Isles Philatelic Bureau in association with the Scottish Tartans' Authority and White Peak Design |
| Printer | Burns and Harris of Dundee |
| Process | Offset Lithography - 4 designs, 4 colours |
| Material | Self-adhesive, unwater-marked |
| Stamp Size | 42.40 x 28.50mm |
| Separation | Pierced matrix, kisscut fauxperf |
| Sheet Size | Approx. 210 x 70mm (4x2) including margins |
| Sheet Format | 2 x se-tenant strips of 4 values; controls in left margins. 30sg value also printed in sheets of 4 (2x2) for counter use in the Post Office. |
| Miniature Sheet Size | Approx. 98 x 70mm including margins |
| Miniature Sheet Format | 4 values (2x2) |
| Cover Designer | Summer Isles Philatelic Bureau in association with the Scottish Tartans' Authority and White Peak Design |
| Cover Printer | Robert Parker Limited of Dundee |
30sg Coigach District Tartan with Ben Mor Coigach
35sg Gunn Tartan and Clan Badge
60sg Sinclair Tartan and Clan Badge
1PS Oliphant tartan and Clan Badge
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